Habitat and Forests: Introduction

"Forests support approximately 65 percent of the world's terrestrial [life forms]. They are the most species-rich environments on the planet, not only for vertebrates, such as birds, but also for invertebrates and microbes."
- Conserving Forest Biodiversity (Lindenmayer and Franklin, 2002)

Bursting with all that life, forests present immensely complex challenges for biodiversity conservation. Our purpose with this section of the website is simply to offer the visitor some of the concepts scientists are now using to frame how we think about conservation of forest biodiversity.

We start with a general discussion of forest biodiversity, the ecological processes that shape it, and the very small pieces that are so critical to how forests work. A second section explores some of the issues and challenges affecting forest habitats in the United States. The third major section introduces key concepts underlying some examples of biodiversity management strategies that have begun to emerge in recent years.
More about Forest Biodiversity >

Habitat Loss and Biodiversity

One of the most obvious and dramatic causes of loss of forest biodiversity is the conversion of forest land to other uses such as development or agriculture.
More about Habitat Loss and Degradation >

Biodiversity Management Strategies

The traditional approach to conservation of forest habitats and species has focused on establishment of reserves, where timber harvest, road-building and other human activities are prohibited or severely restricted. Many conservation biologists are increasingly looking to the broader landscape for options to help conserve forest biodiversity.
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Links, Resources and Publications

View other Defenders reports about habitat and forestry, links to other programs and sources of further information.
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Download a copy of this web report

Print and read report offline. Download >

Highlights from the Global Markets Forum

In June 2005, A diverse group of forest stakeholders met to form a common understanding of the challenge of forest biodiversity conservation in the United States in the face of globalizing timber markets.
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